Gas turbines and other types of turbines are utilized in a wide variety of applications, such as in power plants for power generation. During the operation of a gas turbine, a supply of a compressible fuel, such as a gas fuel, is typically provided as fuel to a combustor that ignites the gas to provide power to rotate a turbine. The gas is typically supplied to the combustor by one or more pipes or channels, and the flow of the gas through the one or more pipes is typically controlled by one or more respective control valves.
The positioning of the valves is typically adjusted to control the amount of gas or the gas flow that is supplied to the combustor. For example, a valve may be partially closed to reduce the gas flow supplied to the combustor. However, due to the compressibility of the gas and/or the bleeding of gas through the pipes, there is a transient period in which the gas flow to the combustor will adjust to the new gas flow level at the control valve. Conventional turbine control systems typically assume that gas flow is adjusted to a new flow instantaneously or almost instantaneously when a valve is adjusted. However, because the conventional turbine control systems do not take the compressibility of the gas into account, the gas flow supplied to the combustor is typically adjusted gradually during transient events. These gradual changes in gas flow may lead to losses of efficiency within the turbine. Additionally, in some cases, such as a load rejection situation in which the gas flow should be decreased quickly, gradual changes in gas flow may lead to loss of flame in the combustor or wear and tear on turbine components and a reduced life cycle for the turbine components.
Thus, there is a need for improved systems, methods, and apparatus to control compressible fuel flow to a combustor or other component of a turbine. There is also a need for improved systems, methods, and apparatus to model the flow of a compressible fuel that is provided to a turbine.